Strongbow, Anglo-Norman Lord, Dies in Dublin

Richard de Clare (1130 – 20 April 1176), 2nd Earl of Pembroke, also Lord of Leinster and Justiciar of Ireland (sometimes known as Richard FitzGilbert), was an Anglo-Norman nobleman notable for his leading role in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland. Like his father, Richard is commonly known by his nickname, Strongbow

After his son and heir, Gilbert, died childless before 1189, the earldom passed through Richard’s daughter Isabel de Clare and to her husband,William Marshal.

During the Middle Ages, official documents, with few exceptions, were written in Latin; In the Domesday Exchequer annals, written between 1300 and 1304 (that means, over 120 years after Richard’s death), he was referred to as “Ricardus cognomento Stranghose Comes Strugulliae”, which translates to “Richard, known as Stranghose, earl of Striguil” (modern Chepstow).

In reality, Stranghose is probably a different spelling of Striguil. In the 14th century, the nickname is finally rendered as “Strongbow”